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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bulb · bass · bark · temple · patient · firm · staff · sharp

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. firm — a company
  3. bulb — for light
  4. sharp — clever
  5. staff — employees
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. firm — steady
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. firm — decided
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bass — the fish
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. staff — a stick
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. staff — employees
  23. bass — low music
  24. bulb — of a plant

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com